Untitled by Micah Logsdon

it’s the little girl’s voice
in the woman’s throat
strips her like
                      turpentine
all the way down to the tearstained
pink cheek
cool on hot wine
laced with venom
that triggers the violent reaction
of collapsing chemical barriers
when my eyes turn to rocks
cobalt laced
& my stomach fills
like my father’s
& my father’s father
twisting with paternal impatience
until throat burning
vomiting
i’m more a mess than she